INTERVIEW WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR DAVID WAIN

Here is an Interview I was lucky enough to get with writer/director David Wain. Enjoy!

INTERVIEW:

How did you get your "big break" in Hollywood?
I guess it was when they needed a director last minute for Role Models and Paul Rudd suggested me.

What's the difference between writing for television and writing for features? Which do you prefer?
They’re both fun and challenging. The TV work I’ve done has been sometimes crazy because you’re writing one episode while you’re shooting another, editing yet another, etc. Feature writing is tough because you have to keep perspective on material over the course of years.

Did you have a mentor in the business?
I don’t, really. I kind of always wish I did.

Was it hard to convince the executives to let you direct Role Models?
Not really - it was a fortunate situation where they needed someone fast so I pitched them on what I thought the problems and potential solutions were to the script and they took a chance on me.

What was that experience like working on Role Models?
It was extremely challenging because I had to walk into a movie that was already in pre-production but needed to completely re-write the script simultaneously to casting, location scouting, shot listing, etc.

You act as well. Do you feel there is an advantage while you're writing because you have acting experience?
Everything overlaps for sure. I’m thankful to have some idea what everyone on the set is doing because I’ve done it too.

How did you get an agent when you were first starting out?
I was very lucky because when I was in college I was in a comedy troupe (The State) and was also interning at MTV. Through a series fortunate events, we got ourselves involved with a series on MTV (“You Wrote It You Watch It”) and we started being managed by a childhood friend of mine (Jon Bendis) and someone he knew (Steven Starr). Steven was a former agent at William Morris and he introduced us to the agency and they signed us as a group.

What advice do you have for aspiring screenwriters?
Just keep writing, writing, writing. No substitute for doing it. And then make movies! These days it’s technically so in reach you have no excuse!

Future projects?
Right now in pre-production on my next feature which is called WanderLust.